Cover plate and method of making same



Aug. 19, 1930. H. A. SELAH 1,773,410

COVER PLATE AND METHGD OF MAKING SAME Filed June 30, 1925 Patented Aug.19, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWARD A. SELAH, OF ERIE,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ERIE MALLEABLE IRON COMPANY, OF ERIE,PENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATION OF PENN SYLVANIA' 7 COVER PLATE AND METHOD MAKING SAMEApplication filed June 30,

It is desirable that the securing screws for cover plates be so attachedto the cover that they will be retained in place in the cover prior tothe placing of the cover on a receptacle. The present invention isdesigned to accomplish this purpose witha metal cover.

The drawings illustrating the cover and the apparatus used in the methodof utilizing the same are as follows Fig. 1 shows a plan view of thecover.

Fig. 2 a sectional view of a press for securing the screws to the cover,the section being on the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 an alternative arrangement of press.

Fig. 4 anenlarged view of the screw and cover prior to the operation ofthe press on the cover.

' Fig. 5 an enlarged sectional View of the sover and one of the screwson the line 22 in Fig. 1.

1 marks the cover. This is provided with perforations 2, usually two ofthese being provided at diagonally opposite corners. A screw 3 has areduced neck 4, a screwthreaded portion 5 and a head 6. Such a re ducedneck is ordinarily formed where'the threads are rolled on the screw.

- In placing the screws in the plate, the screws are inserted in theperforations and the metal at the perforations swaged so as to reducethe size of the perforation. In order that this may be done withrapidity it may be done in a press as indicated in Fig. 2 in which thereis a base or platen 7 having slots 8 into which the screws may extend.The plates with the screws .n place may be moved along the base to bringthem into proper position for operation.

The press plunger 9 has dies 10 with swaging projections 11. Springpressed plungers 12 are arranged in the dies 10 and contact the heads ofthe screws 3 so as to hold the screws in place as the die descends.Springs 13 are arranged over the plungers 12 for exerting the springpressure.

In the operation of the device, the plates with the screws are fed alongthe base to a position under the dies 10. The press then is operateddepressing the dies 10 and forcing the swaging projections 11 into themetal 1925. Serial m. 40,539.

allow for the length of screw, the indentation" being affected in bothinstances by'an operation in line with'the axis of the screw.

-What I claim as new is 1. In a cover plate, the combination of a screwhaving a head and a neck of reduced diameter; and a plate having aperforation through which the screw extends contracted by indentationoutside of the head and spaced from but adjacent to the perforation intothe neck of the screw.

2. The method of securing a screw having a head and a neck of reduceddiameter in a perforation of a plate which consists in inserting thescrew in the perforation, reducing the diameter of the perforation intolocking relation with the screw neck by swaging indentations in theplate by a swaging blow delivered in an axial direction relatively tothe screw outside the head and in spaced relation but adjacent to theperforation and causing the flow of metal at the perforation reducingits diameter.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HOWARD A. SELAH.

